Abstract. The necessity to solve nature conservation problems of Kuzbass mining industry demands from postgraduate education institutions to train highly qualified specialists in ecology and environment management. As 21st century education is competence-based one, the article clarifies the concept of competence in education, focuses on key competences, namely foreign language competence and its relevance for specialists in ecology and environment management. Foreign language competence is acquired through the course of "Foreign Language" discipline which covers the following aspects: academic reading, academic writing and public speaking. The article also describes the experience of organizing students' individual work taking into account their motivation and specific conditions of the discipline as well. Thus, both the content of the discipline and the approach to organize students' learning contribute to mastering foreign language competence of ecology and environment managers as inherent condition of their professional efficiency for solving ecological problems of mining industry in Kuzbass region.

Abstract. The article highlights the specific features of the foreignlanguage instruction in the system of higher education in Russia. The principles of teaching French for future specialists in mining industry of Kuzbass in comparison with that of English in the institutions of higher education are analyzed. The focus is on the actual difference of approaches to teaching French and English at universities from the standpoint of the student/teacher ratio, basic principles of language education and its content. The variety of extracurricular activities at Kemerovo universities is described as a solution to the current problems in teaching French. The contribution of Language and Culture Centers at Kemerovo State University to training specialists for coal-mining enterprises of Kuzbass is revealed.

This paper is devoted to the experience of implementing the Rating System for Students’ Performance Assessment at the institution of higher education (Kemerovo State University) in coal-mining region. The focus is on the description of the Rating System and review of its key objectives in the process of training specialists for mining enterprises of Kuzbass. The assessment of students’ progress consists of grades for different activities such as studies, research, participation in sports competitions as well as social and cultural events. The purpose of paper is to evaluate the experience of implementing the Students’ Rating System at Kemerovo State University from the point of view of students as standard users. The paper highlights the results of the survey held among the students of the University on using the Rating System. The survey discovers its advantages such as motivating power, the ability to promote students’ academic activity, unbiased evaluation, convenience, etc. The Rating System is used as an important assessment tool in training future engineers, economists, exploration geologists, environmental managers etc. for coal-mining enterprises in Kuzbass region.

Being the leading coal mining region in Russia, Kuzbass has significant experience in training specialists in geology, mining industry, ecology and nature management. Therefore, the states-partners of Russia such as Tajikistan, Kirgizia and Uzbekistan are interested in training their specialists for mining industry at Kuzbass universities. In accordance with the Russian state policy for internationalization of Russian higher education it has resulted in sharp increasing of the number of international students at the universities of Kuzbass. A survey of the international students’ attitudes carried out at Kemerovo State University, the leading regional university, indicates the necessity to arrange their sociocultural and educational support aimed at their socialization and sociocultural adaptation to the conditions of educational environment of the university. The main principle of sociocultural and educational support of international students is based on the consolidation of different university departments in their organization of educational, scientific, cultural events to create favorable conditions for sociocultural adaptation of international students and their successful achievements in higher education programmes. Moreover, students’ intercultural communication promotes business relationships with representatives of the leading coal mining countries.